Editorial: So far, so good: All's quiet on partisan front

Posted: Thursday, February 18, 1999

The recent comments from the White House regarding possible "warfare" being waged by President Clinton against the Republican Congress in the 2000 elections - mainly the 13 GOP House prosecutors in the Senate impeachment trial - should come as no surprise.

What did we expect?

After all the president's rhetoric about contrition and "tending to the business of the country" and his stance on the partisanship that lead to his impeachment and trial, the president will more than likely return to his standard method of operation - say one thing and do another.

It seems ironic the president, who viewed impeachment as nothing more than a GOP-controlled attempt to force him from office, would resort to the same alleged tactics he previously condemned despite his public statements of forgiveness.

We do not begrudge the president for seeking revenge, as some political pundits have described possible efforts by the president and Democrats to oust House Republicans in 2000.

After all, as petty as it sounds, that is politics.

However, we tire of hearing the president spout one point of view publicly and endorse the practice of an opposing view.

It is this form of "misleading" which resulted in impeachment in the first place.

As Pat Buchanan stated recently on the CNN television program "Crossfire," if the president is going to sic the dog - namely James Carville - on House Republicans in 2000, just say so.

U.S. Rep. Larry Combest, R-Lubbock, remarked Wednesday during a stop in Amarillo that he had seen no signs of Democratic retribution, and predicted it would not occur. We certainly hope Combest is correct.

Heaven knows it would not be the first or the last time politicians have attacked one another.

However, there is one factor Democrats should consider.

The American people's disdain for partisan mudslinging and "warfare" has been very apparent over the past year.

Democrats, as well as the president, may want to consider the possible negative ramifications of dragging out the impeachment card in two years.